HB 2133, would allow the state to use alternative techniques in water treatment, namely desalination. The bill also promotes water reuse.

Another of Larson’s bills promotes underground storage facilities as an alternative to drawing water from lakes, where more water is lost to evaporation. HB 3013, the aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) bill, also changes the role of the groundwater conservation districts for the future of the state’s water.

Austin-based engineer James Dwyer said there is a risk for minerals like arsenic to seep into groundwater in aquifer storage projects, but it has not been a problem with any of the three currently used in Texas.

Larson partnered with State Rep. Bill Callegari, R-Houston, for HB 2578, which would ease the permitting process for desalination facilities, making it easier for the state to introduce brackish groundwater or seawater into its water supply.

Other bills today focus on keeping fresh water clean, keeping dirty water sequestered and penalizing people who use too much water.